Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits Pennsylvania from joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Highlights:

• Specifies that no authority under law currently exists to regulate or impose a tax on carbon dioxide emissions and that it is therefore the responsibility of the General Assembly, in consultation with the EPA, Environmental Quality Board, and Pennsylvania Utility Commission to determine how to regulate or impose a carbon dioxide tax (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits the Governor, Environmental Quality Board, or EPA from implementing policy or taking action that authorizes the state to join or participate in a state or regional greenhouse gas cap-in-trade program or establish a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program, including the RGGI (Sec. 2).

• Defines “RGGI” as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which is a multistate compact that establishes or calls for the compacting of states to establish a regional, multistate cap on the amount of greenhouse gases released by electric generation plants (Sec. 3).

• Establishes that this act shall take effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text